The Dallas Cowboys don’t usually trade for wide receivers midseason, but 2025 might be an exception. CeeDee Lamb’s ankle sprain will keep him out several weeks, and without him Brian Schottenheimer’s offense isn’t anywhere near the same.
In his Week 4 Trade Block Big Board, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report named the Cowboys as a potential trade partner for Carolina Panthers WR Xavier Legette.
The Panthers used a first-round pick on the South Carolina product, but they might be talked into moving him,” Knox wrote on September 24, adding:
“While Legette’s tape isn’t great, he’s still a physically impressive 6’3″, 227-pound pass-catcher with an intriguing amount of upside. His trade value would be buoyed by his first-round rookie contract.”
A Closer Look at Legette’s Game & Potential Fit
GettyShould the Dallas Cowboys try to trade for big-bodied WR Xavier Legette?
Legette came into the league as Carolina’s first-round pick in 2024 (No. 32 overall). His size coupled with his 4.39 combine dash made him an intriguing prospect to several teams.
His rookie year was respectable enough, although he didn’t quite put up the numbers Carolina hoped. He finished with 49 catches for 497 yards and four scores in 16 games (13 starts). Through two games of this season, (he missed Week 3 with a hamstring issue) the box score isn’t pretty — he has just four grabs for eight yards — but his raw tools still scream upside.
And that rookie contract—his cap hit is $2.8 million this season and $3.3 million in 2026—makes him all the more intriguing.
Schottenheimer’s scheme thrives on getting the ball into space and letting his receivers bully defenses. That’s where Legette makes sense. He’s a slant-and-glance threat who can double as a YAC monster on smoke screens, something this offense has lacked outside of Lamb.
Dallas loves to use motion to create leverage, and Legette’s frame means safeties and nickel corners don’t exactly enjoy tackling him in the open field.
Should the Dallas Cowboys Try to Trade for WR Xavier Legette?
Dallas’ wide receiver situation isn’t exactly dire, but it’s shakier than it was Week 1. George Pickens will be the clear WR1 while Lamb is out, but he’s more of a contested-catch artist than YAC demon. Jalen Tolbert has flashed in spurts, and should see an increased role, but Jonathan Mingo is also currently banged up. Adding another WR to the mix certainly wouldn’t hurt.
The primary question would be trade compensation. Carolina’s WRs room has been reshaped enough that moving him for draft capital isn’t completely out of the question. Knox believes a conditional 2026 third-round pick would be enough to move him, but that might be more compensation than the Cowboys are willing to give.
The issue for the Cowboys would be gauging whether their current short-term crisis could lead to a long-term opportunity for Legette. They need a big-bodied mover who can keep the offense on schedule without Lamb, but they’re not going to want to give up a third-round pick for a question mark at wideout.
Then again, few folks thought Jerry Jones would send Micah Parsons packing, and he did. A trade for Legette would feel a tad surprising at this point, but anything is possible in Jerry’s World.
Cowboys Named Top Trade Partner for 2024 1st-Round WR Amid CeeDee Lamb Injury